Southern California -- this just in

Trial to start for boy accused of killing neo-Nazi father

October 30, 2012 | 10:28
am

Opening statements are set to start Tuesday in the trial of a Riverside boy accused of killing his father, a local neo-Nazi activist.

The boy, who was 10 years old at the time, allegedly shot his father, Jeffrey R. Hall, on May 1, 2011, as he lay on the living room couch. Detectives said they believed the shooting was "an intentional act." The boy, now 12, is charged with murder.

Hall, 32, was a regional director for the National Socialist Movement.

Court records show the boy had a history of violence and aggressive behavior after his parents went through a bitter divorce. Both Hall and his ex-wife, Leticia Neal, of Spokane, Wash., accused each other of neglecting and abusing their children, and Hall was eventually granted full custody.

Neal filed for custody of her two children -- the boy and his 9-year-old sister -- before the shooting, citing concerns they were in a bad environment because of Hall's affiliation with the neo-Nazi group.